August 27, 2008

So.... what the hell? I'm sitting here, eating my arugula salad and zucchini "pasta," catching up on last night's "Daily Show," sipping my chardonnay, waiting for it to be late enough to bother to start watching the proceedings at the Democratic National Convention, and suddenly Barack Obama has been nominated by acclamation. The ostensible point of the convention, choosing the nominee, occurs more than an hour outside of prime time? WTF?!

Blah. Damn. I will still update this post and make it the evening's live-blog, but I am disgusted -- disgusted! -- by this in-your-face message that the nominating convention is not a nominating convention at all, but a big advertisement -- a free media barrage -- for the party and its candidate. And, yes, of course, I already knew that. But it irritates me to be taunted with it.

5:51 Central Time: I'm watching CNN tonight and the commenters are falling over themselves trying to say the word "historic." Seriously, I have just heard the word "historic" about 50 times in 5 minutes. I don't think this really helps Barack Obama get elected. He's a specific person whose qualifications needs to prove himself to Americans. It's not just a a feel-good gesture to nominate "a black man." Yes, it's something. But so much more needs to be done with this convention. Finally, at 6:01, John King makes this point.

At 4:48 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time, at the urging of Mrs. Clinton, the New York delegation cast its votes for Mr. Obama, and Mrs. Clinton called on the Democratic National Convention to end the roll call and nominate him by acclamation.

“With eyes firmly fixed on the future in the spirit of unity, with the goal of victory, with faith in our party and country, let’s declare together in one voice, right here and right now, that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president,” Mrs. Clinton said.

“I move that Senator Barack Obama of Illinois be selected by this convention by acclamation as the Democratic nominee for president of the United States.”

The crowd in the Pepsi Center roared as one and then began to chant, “Hillary, Hillary, Hillary.”

Oh. I see. The crowd was chanting "Hillary, Hillary, Hillary." She made it happen like this. When no one was watching. How utterly surreal. This convention is all about the Clintons, isn't it? She dominated last night. She controls the nomination tonight. And the rest of the evening is the lead-up to Bill. How awful for Barack... in his moment of triumph.

6:28: As for me, I'm going to watch the new Bloggingheads, with Bob Wright and Mickey Kaus. Mickey is back at long last. And he's in Denver. "Reviewing the convention speeches ... New Bill Ayers ad deemed highly effective..." Great topics. I'm pouring a second glass of wine and oozing into the delights of the evening.

8:04: Bill has a way of magnifying the crowd noise, interpreting it into a higher level of love. "Please stop. Sit down. Please sit." "I am here first, to support Barack Obama." Good. That's appropriate. "And second, I'm here to warm up the crowd for Joe Biden." Ow. That must hurt.

8:08: Are you getting tired of shots of Michelle Obama, looking judgmental?

8:10: "Clearly, the job of the next President is to rebuild the American dream and to restore American leadership in the world.... Barack Obama is the man for this job."

8:13: Clinton is talking in a strong, straightforward way about Barack Obama. "He is ready." This is good and effective... and it ought to fend off some of the criticism that he's some sort of snake serving his own ends.

8:15: Clinton turns the topic to domestic policy (which we've read is what he wanted to talk about): "Barack Obama knows that America cannot be strong abroad unless we are first strong at home. People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power." That was written to be a famous quote, and I think it will be remembered. "Look at the example the Republicans have set." Great segue.

8:17: I love the shots of Hillary -- her chin pulled in unattractively, but with expressive resolve, her eyes bulging, her lips pressed together in a strong smile. It all says: He's right! My husband is right! Then we see Michelle, who -- though she never ran for President -- is presiding over all of this, monitoring everything. She smiles charmingly when Bill is promoting her husband and has an edgy look when it seems as though he might not have his heart 100% in this.

8:24: Bill Clinton is doing a fabulous job tonight. His superiority to everyone else who has spoken is painfully obvious. "American will always be a place called hope." Brilliant. He's the greatest!

8:26: And, now what is going through his mind? And that's how it's done you losers. Screw you for rejecting, Hillary's. Enjoy your doom, fuckers.

8:38: Following up our brilliant rockstar of a former President is John Kerry. "Time and again, Barack Obama has proven right." And McCain... Kerry has the hatchet man role. What a downer after our Bill.

8:54: I'm reading the comments on this post. Michael H writes:

WTF, indeed, Ann.

I first watched political conventions with my Irish grandfather, a union democrat. We watched the state-by-state nominating process, and he explained the importance of every state the the democracy of the process (an explanation with many comparative references to the "fookin' Russians").

The conventi, usualy [sic] a woman, would call the roll: The Greeeat Staaate of Aaaahlaskah!!!

And the chairman of that state's delegation would reply: The great State of Alaska, America's northernmost state, the second youngest state in our great union, the home of caribou, elk, moose and Denali National Park, the great State of Alaska casts its 4 electoral votes for the next president of the United States, Adalai Stevenson!!!"

The nominations were held in prime time because, after all, nominating a candidate was the purpose of the convention.

I wish it were so today. The most important part of the convention has been relegated to a perfunctory exercise to fill time before the prime time speechifyin' can begin.

Yes. Yes. Yes. The great state of Wisconsin is ... or I, here, am ... nostalgic for the old-style Americana of the political conventions of yore. I remember conventions where there was true excitement in the roll call. I remember 1968, when the conventioneers got overwhelmed by the protests outside and started singing "We Shall Overcome" and took down their vertical state-name signpost and rocked it in the horizontal position. That made me weep when I was 17.... Okay, I'm snapping out of that.

9:00. A film about the military. The young enlistees are presented as idealistic but misled. They speak in depressed tones. "They kind of built it up as if it was going to be a kind of simple peace-keeping mission. Win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, you know. We're going to build schools. We're going to help out in the hospitals. And when we got there, it turned into a fight." Clunking, sentimental piano music. Photos of blood in the street. Talk of battle deaths and suicide bombers. A Marine breaks down and cries. We're told that the soldiers feel afraid, and -- strangely -- that they are able to face fear only because the military is diverse. What a clumsy segue! You mean, back in WWII, when the military was segregated, they weren't courageous? Now, we see the present-day soldiers coming home, hugging their wives and daughters and talking about the difficulties of readjusting to life in America. "You've got all this stuff on your mind and you want to let it out but you just can't." Wheelchairs. Prosthetic legs. Coffins. Tom Hanks ambles out and in a digitally deepened voice tells us "we are there for one another." A montage of soldiers with troubled faces. Sad music. This is the Democratic Party's view of the military, and it is not what I want to see and I doubt that it is what most people who serve want to see.

9:19: The VP nomination is made "in the name of women," which is a little annoying. Nancy Pelosi comes out to entertain the acclamation. And let me say, she looks great. She's wearing big blue and gray pearls and a blue satin blouse with a very wide shawl collar.

9: 21: A little film about Joe Biden. Obama appears in it and says: "The most important thing that Joe offers is his honesty." Odd. I thought a key problem with Biden was that he was notoriously caught lying about a speech and his academic credentials. Yet the most important thing he brings is honesty?

9:24: Beau Biden speaks. "Delaware can get another Senator, but my boys can't get another father," said Joe Biden, before he was convinced to go forward and serve as Senator after his wife and daughter died. "Some people poke fun at my dad talking too much..." but you need to know that it's somehow a result of a bad stuttering problem.

9:54: Joe Biden gave an excellent speech. I won't detail it, but his delivery was fine and he pounded appropriately hard on John McCain. His wife comes out, announces a special surprise, and it's Barack Obama. Ah, good. It's the last night in this arena. He wanted to come out and have "a little something to say." "Hillary Clinton rocked the house last night," he says. He praises Bill Clinton and thanks him for "putting people first." He blesses us and blesses America.

10:09: A really cute thronging of Biden family in the end, with Joe walking around holding the hand of the little blond grandson.

This is the guy who made everyone wait on tenterhooks all Friday night, and then sent out those "super-exclusive" text-messages to his groupies, I mean!, supporters at 3 AM in the morning.

If you haven't figured out he's all about being bush league, and gimmicky, you need a reality check.

And when I write "you", I mean "us", obviously.

(I wonder if the unorthodox timing of the nomination has something to do with the less than effusive endorsement Hillary gave last night. Even if it was already scheduled, maybe they had factored it in)

Hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. This convention is a joke, was completely unnecessary and could have been done with delegate chairman via webcast nominating Mr. Barely and reduced their carbon-footprint. This makes the least greenest convention of all. What a waste.

This man allowed himself to be manhandled by the Clintons, plain and simple. He's got no balls.

Due to his corrosive past associations, he's scared to make a move which will compromise him with the fast dwindling electorate. He'll try his best to give us all a junkie-sized injection of the Barack Charm in tomorrow's "Operation HopeChange" at Invesco Field, but right now, it looks bleak.

"...let’s declare together in one voice, right here and right now, that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president,” Mrs. Clinton said."

Sorry, lady, I don't declare anything "together in one voice". My voice is my own, to make declarations as I choose, alone. Barack Obama may be your candidate but you don't have the power to declare him "our president". That's for the voters to decide- voters, I might add, that you recently tried to persuade to do just the opposite.

And even if you con and fool enough people into making Barack "our president", I reserve the right, so often petulantly claimed by your party and its fellow travelers in the last 8 years, to make it known that Barack is "not my president".

But seriously, congrats on the enormous coup and con job you and your husband managed to pull off.

It was a very moving moment, and frankly as much as I've been disgusted by the actions of the Clintons in this campaign it was a solid gesture. Hillary had gotten her name and 341 delegates already so there was that piece of history- New Mexico yielded to Illinois and they in turn yielded to New York.

Forbidden, eh? Doesn't say that for me. Anyway, it's just some balding doofus in ill-fitting grey slacks holding a rainbow peace flag wearing a shirt that says "HE'S NOT MY PRESIDENT" around a high-contrast "scary" picture of President Bush. And he's standing next to a chicken-legged middle-aged man (who may be Joseph Biden) who is wearing an extraordinarily unfortunate pair of shorts.

Its so great to know Palladian has the awesome power of wisdom and those of us who support Obama are just fools...I guess if Obama is elected and the House and Senate remain controlled by the Democrats you'll just be living in such the fools paradise...if anyone is conning anyone its the GOP and their attempts to make everyone believe the last eight years haven't been about creating deficits, fighting an unnecessary war in Iraq instead of finishing the job in Afghanistan, shredding civil liberties, and staining the reputation of America by having torture on its hands.

With eyes firmly fixed on this evening in the spirit of blogginess, with the goal of sanity, with faith in our commentariat and lurkers, let’s declare together in one voice, right here and right now, that this thread will NOT EXCEED TWO HUNDRED COMMENTS!!!*

*In the alternative, when this thread hits 200 comments, the Bloggress will START A NEW THREAD.

Anyway, it's just some balding doofus in ill-fitting grey slacks holding a rainbow peace flag wearing a shirt that says "HE'S NOT MY PRESIDENT" around a high-contrast "scary" picture of President Bush. And he's standing next to a chicken-legged middle-aged man (who may be Joseph Biden) who is wearing an extraordinarily unfortunate pair of shorts

Sorry but I disagree. This wasn't about Hillary controlling the event. She's been harassed repeatedly over and over again that she's not doing enough despite campaigning for him, speaking on his behalf last night and pledging to vote against herself this afternoon.

No. I think this was something she was forced to do. This was about pushing her down on her knees in front of the great Obama... just where apparently the DNC believes a woman belongs.

With 18 million votes (more than Obama by some counts), she will not have a single delegate vote recorded with her name at the convention.

Oh God, is she going to sing that stupid Algore song she wrote? Remember when she got all nasty with Hillary at that forum? Will she do the same with Barack, since he doesn't support gay marriage either? Oh, of course not! Mustn't upset the Coronation of the King of Heaven with any "inconvenient truths". She'll walk in line like a good little acolyte.

Live network television coverage for the conventions for both parties has diminished over the years, so the parties naturally want to use that valuable time on speeches and other get the message out activities. The actual mechanics of nominations are secondary to the message at best, and as such aren't timed for prime time viewing. The people hyperventilating over the timing of the nomination today are either disingenuous, ill-informed, or simply need to take a pill and relax.

The good stuff will be sometime between 8pm and 11pm Central Time, which is always the plan these days. Hope Biden's speech is a good one.

"Good try, little girl. Now why don't you stand aside and let the big boys show you how it is done."

As much as I disagree with some of Hillary's policies, I think you're absolutely right about this. She was shunted aside and now the party will have to pay the price for that poor decision. They chose to make "an historic event" with an unqualified candidate rather than make "an historic event" with someone who might have actually won.

I had it on in the background. And, it was genuinely interesting, to me. For the first time I paid full attention to these daytime proceedings.

Fox ignored it. CNN mostly covered it. CSPAN, of course, covered it.

But, MSNBC had KO and Chuck reliving the primary. As each state spoke these two recapped the role of that state during the primary (or some other fun fact was mentioned.) Even with their comments, we could still hear each states' presentation. So we could see a lot of different folks talking about their state.

It was interesting to see how some of the votes went to BHO (e.g. Arkansas) and others didn't (e.g. CA.) Each of these state delegations did seem to have very different internal dynamics that resulted in unique delegate allocations relative to the original votes.

And, somewhere in the back of my mind there was a sliver of a thought that some HRC folks could really go off the rails at any moment.

It was good stuff.

PS

Lisa,

Your language about women on their knees was not well chosen for an HRC supporter.

The convention sessions have been starting at 5pm Eastern. I've been going by this:

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=schedule

Thanks to television, the conventions have been coronations for some time now. Bring back cigar-chomping pols and their smoke-filled rooms.

I really thought HRC was going to pull a fast one. Instead, her delegate totals were way below what her votes/caucuses entitled her to. She bravely struggled not to cry when Illinois yielded to New York.

The good little girl comment? that's what I perceive the DNC to be doing/saying here. Or the part where I say I feel like she's been forced on her knees in front of Obama. Again, that's what I perceive the DNC to be doing/saying here.

I first watched political conventions with my Irish grandfather, a union democrat. We watched the state-by-state nominating process, and he explained the importance of every state the the democracy of the process (an explanation with many comparative references to the "fookin' Russians").

The conventi, usualy a woman, would call the roll: The Greeeat Staaate of Aaaahlaskah!!!

And the chairman of that state's delegation would reply: The great State of Alaska, America's northernmost state, the second youngest state in our great union, the home of caribou, elk, moose and Denali National Park, the great State of Alaska casts its 4 electoral votes for the next president of the United States, Adalai Stevenson!!!"

The nominations were held in prime time because, after all, nominating a candidate was the purpose of the convention.

I wish it were so today. The most important part of the convention has been relegated to a perfunctory exercise to fill time before the prime time speechifyin' can begin.

By doing the nomination roll call, and Hillary's appearance, when they did, the Democrats were able to get it onto the ABC, CBS and NBC evening newscasts live in the Eastern and Central Time Zones. Had they waited until later, with Biden and Clinton scheduled to speak during the one-hour evening slot the networks have set aside, the roll call would have been relegated to PBS and the cable networks.

You can make an argument that rearranging the convention to attract evening news viewers is a strategy more appropriate for 1996 than 2008, but that was the rationale.

Name-dropping what you 'eat and drink', says you're one of those 'darling little spoiled preppies' who probably hasn't had to work a hard day in your life; hasn't had to be hungry, and who has absolutely NO CLUE what 'real life' is like.

I hope you picked a good white wine; but since you didn't say anything but 'white', it could easily be that $1.99 'stuff' now couldn't it.

Is your pasta 'tender and moist'....

Are the greens fresh? Does it have a hint of garlic? Did they throw some croutons in 'for free'?

Did you pick it up at a deli' section in the near-by Albertson's grocery store???

Exactly! I have been saying this over and over. This is not the Democratic Convention and it is not the nomination of Barak Obama. It is the Clinton love fest convention. This is the equivalent of a political Woodstock. She orchestrated this and Obama let her have it. I just got home from running errands. I was listening to CBS news on the car radio. All they were talking about was how the past two nights have been all about the Clintons. One brave commentator actually stated that you would never know that Obama was the nominee. I think Obama made a big mistake by letting the Clintons steal his thunder and his convention. He should have told Hillary to take a hike. If he pays off her campaign debt it will prove that he is not fit to lead.

I am sane, I am drinking vodka with basil lemonade and watching the Food Network. I do not want to see ole uncle Festus speak.

As a rule, anytime you hear someone start a sentence with those three words, it is safe to assume that they aren't.

Really good speech by Bill Clinton. He still has the old magic in him. Let's hope this helps get the last remaining Hillary dead-enders on board and the Obama fanboys to quit claiming that the Clintons aren't being loyal to the party.

"Barack Obama knows that America cannot be strong abroad unless we are first strong at home. People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power."

Read that quote and find the odd words out. To me it's "Barack Obama". I hear these claims made about Barack Obama, that he knows this and that, that he's ready to lead, blah blah. But what evidence has been given to support these statements? How does Barack Obama know these things, Bill? What makes you, of all people, think he's ready to lead? It's almost like the words "Barack Obama" were plugged into a speech written years ago about Bill Clinton. There are no specifics about Barack Obama. There are just constant statements that he's this or that or he knows this or that or that he's read for this or that. It strikes me as ... odd. It's like when you say a word and for a few seconds you realize how odd and alien the word sounds, how it couldn't possibly mean what it means, almost as if you'd never heard it before. Then the feeling passes and you go on. Except the feeling hasn't passed. Barack Obama? Who is Barack Obama? Why is he in the position he's in? How did he get there? This is not my beautiful house! This is not my beautiful wife!

But back to your comment. Sully did? No way! I don't believe you. Next thing, you'll be trying to tell me Olbermann thought it was swell!

No, actually it's not like that. Sullivan has been a caustic Clinton foe for years, and has not been willing to give either of them any benefit of the doubt with regard to Obama. In fact, the term "Obama fanboy" was made for him. His comments about Hillary's speech were backhanded compliments at the absolute best, and were mostly critical. If you want to be funny, it helps if your jokes have some relationship with the truth. Try to pay attention.

8:13: Clinton is talking in a strong, straightforward way about Barack Obama. "He is ready." This is good and effective... and it ought to fend off some of the criticism that he's some sort of snake serving his own ends.

He's still a snake serving his own ends: Obama loses the election. Bill and Hillary are remembered as the good soldiers who played nice at the convention. Now Hillary is the brightest hope for the Democrats in 2012. Sssssssssss.....

AA - You seem to have a lot of right-wing followers. Do you think they would show you the same love and devotion if you were to mock the Republican convention with the same zeal with which you mock the Democrats? I'm just curious.

Bill Clinton must have been a man of few accomplishments while president,

He left the country running like a champ. Then W. fuct it up -- ran it out of gas, never added a quart of oil, and treated it like a dune buggy till sand entered every cylinder.

screwing up their convention:

1- Allowing Bill and Hillary Clinton voluble platforms to accidentally-on-purpose reneg on their promise to big up Obama.

Although HRC gritted her teeth, Bill actually sounded sincere. He got off a number of good lines (even though one was in that "country can do for you/you can do for country" mode)

2- Hold the nomination outside of prime time, on Day 3.

Because of the primary/caucus system, the balloting is actually pro forma anyway. Do you want Day 3 to run past midnight?

3- Give two days to the "Ladies", and letting the big closers, all male, go last.

Two days to elected officials and vanquished foes. Two days to the VP candidate, the Presidential candidate, former Presidents and former candidates.

4- Refer to Obama obliquely, and not make him appear except in dressed-down cameos on satellite

People expect things to build to a climax. The bride is always thte last to enter the church, and she outdresses everyone else. Have you ever been to a concert or a comedy show? The headliner always comes last. Little flashes ahead of time serve to whet your appetite.

Aside, I do actually know the difference between its and it's, even if my comments don't always indicate such. And, I'm only at one Alaskan Amber.

Aside II, isn't Althouse able to pick out the real Titus because (apparently) his location is known, and she can see who's on the blog at any time? This explains her previous certitude on this question.

My favorite hair product is a comb. I get out of the shower, comb my still wet hair and I'm almost there. One more combing after it's dried and it's all fluffy and soft. Good to go. And that's the story of hair.

I have had many facials-seaweed, cucumber, eggplant, mud, cows cum and many others.

I think I said I lost a Prada shirt but it was actually Marc from Marc Jacobs. Marc is the cheap Marc Jacobs stuff. I replaced the shirt with a cute little Marc Jacobs number.

I lost it on a dance floor when I took it off to show my tits. I cried in the bathroom afterwards and my friends tried to comfort me. I actually was on my hands in knees on the dance floor pushing away Puma Sneakers and G Star jean legs to try and locate it but could not. I was devastated.

AA - You seem to have a lot of right-wing followers. Do you think they would show you the same love and devotion if you were to mock the Republican convention with the same zeal with which you mock the Democrats? I'm just curious.

I'm not right-wing, but I'll be seriously disappointed if she doesn't. With the caveat being the Rep convention may be just too damn dull to do much with.

Althouse - 8:13: Clinton is talking in a strong, straightforward way about Barack Obama. "He is ready." This is good and effective... and it ought to fend off some of the criticism that he's some sort of snake serving his own ends.

Not at all Ann, that's just Bill CLinton being Clintonian. Lying his ass off and being damn good at it. Though by now, most the public and 3/4ths of the Democrats at the Convention know what a bullshitter he is.

His feelings about Obama being unqualified and unready to lead are well-known and he even put some on the public record.

Similarly, Clinton has a record of praising McCain, though his motivations for calling McCain a great Leader and Hero mostly have to do with the stinkbombs McCain set off that were of great help to Clinton Triangulating against his opposition.

AA - I'm wondering - what images of the military *do* you want to see? I'll give you enough credit to assume that something other than ticker-tape victory parades and Mission Accomplished carrier landings are OK, but what specifically is acceptable to you?

vbspurs said... "This man allowed himself to be manhandled by the Clintons, plain and simple."

I'd allow myself to be handled by one of the Clintons...

somefeller said... "Live network television coverage for the conventions for both parties has diminished over the years...."

Yeah, and there's a reason for that. Althouse's post makes mention of it: because the conventions now serve no purpose apart from free publicity, and the networks hate to give away for free what is really nothing more than advertising.

FLS is apparently unfamiliar with the DotCom Bust, and when it occurred. That is not surprising as his head is located firmly up his ass. Bush's tax cuts and easy money policy were perfectly appropriate to restart the economy following the Clinton-Bust (a term the MSM will never use). Unfortunately, the easy money policy was continued well past its 2004 best-before date, and the Republican Congress continued to spend in a way that would shame a drunken sailor. And of course Bush did not have the stones to use the veto on them.

Military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are more than twice as likely to die prematurely from heart attacks than other soldiers.

Oregon troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are more likely to die of suicide than in combat, recent data shows.

National Guard and Reservists sent to Iraq and Afghanistan are disproportionately represented in returning veteran suicides, according to a Department of Veterans Affairs analysis. There were 115 Army suicides and 935 reported attempts in 2007, a record high, show Army reports.

"There are concerns about the reserves," says Lynn Pahland, a health promotion policy director in the Defense Department. But the military is increasing efforts to prevent, identify and treat troubled troops,she adds.

At a crisis hotline for veterans, about 75 percent of the 400 calls a week come from Reserve and National Guard troops or their families, says Shad Meshad, president of the National Veterans Foundation (1-888-777-4443), which runs the line. "Many have been sent back three or four times," he says.

In a typical unit headed to Iraq, 60 percent are on their second, third or fourth deployment, lasting about a year each, says U.S. Army Col. Carl Castro, who directs a medical research program at Fort Detrick, Md.

Once upon a time there was a princess named Hillary. She married a not so prince charming named Bill. They lived in the White Castle. They were deposed by the Texas prince GW Bush. They never forgot. They believed that their kingdom would last forever and be as famous as Camelot. Their dreams of eternal rule were shattered.

Hillary went into the nunnery called the Sanctified Senate where she occupied a seat, collected money, and did nothing. Bill jet setted around the world, leaving Hillary behind, while he made a hundred million dollars. She decided that the White Castle belonged to her and her alone. She decided to take it back.

She went to war against the Bush regime. She hired an evil man named Penn to run her campaign. She was on track to conquer the great White Castle. Her troops were arrayed on the field of battle. Then the Black Prince decided that he wanted to prepare his own siege of the castle. The Black Prince offered hope, whereas Hillary only offered despair. He would make history, where she would rule with the iron fist of tyranny. He offered change, where she wanted the dominance. The Black Prince vanquished Hillary, then he rested on his laurels. In stepped Bill. In a quirk of magic, the Black Prince’s coronation turned into a love fest for Hillary. They tricked the Black Prince. They stole his coronation. Oh he would lead his campaign of hope to be king, but all would remember Hillary and Bill. They would control the Black Prince’s destiny.

The battle lines are drawn. The Gray Eminence is fighting against the Black Prince for the White Castle. He was held hostage by allies of Hillary and Bill when he was a young man. He never forgot. Hillary and Bill will do everything to assist the Gray Eminence, even though they were responsible for his imprisonment. He will accept their help, though he will try to eliminate them. Hill and Bill need to prove a point; the evil serfs and peons made a big mistake when they threw her over to the Black Prince. They will outwardly support the Prince, but in secret, they will help the Gray Eminence. Camelot will be put on hold for the time being. They will regain the throne. They know better, they know everything. Bill even sold his set of encyclopedias.

The bus is now leaving the convention center. The Knights of the Trailer Trash Table are lying in wait. They wait to throw the Black Prince under the bus. The Black Prince thinks he has won a battle and will move forward towards his ultimate goal; the White Castle. He is actually walking into the mine field laid out by Hill and Bill. Camelot is their goal and Camelot they will have.

Got it. To be funny I need to pay more attention to Andrew Sullivan. Duly noted.

Actually, Enigmaticore, if you are making jokes about the specific topic of Andrew Sullivan or people talking about Sullivan, it does make sense to know something about Sullivan, so your jokes can be funny. That's one of the ways humor works. Jokes about specific topics usually only work if they tie into some actual characteristic of the topic.

As far as tonight's speeches went, Clinton's was great, while Biden's was good. Biden's speech lingered in the beginning and he rushed through the red meat part a bit, but it was a good speech. I skipped Kerry's speech, since I figured everyone else would.

Thus far, the convention has been a pretty good one, but it needs a little more oomph to be really memorable. Maybe Obama's speech will do that tomorrow.

Being retired military myself and coming from a military family I may have a little different perspective than you do.

War is a terrible, nasty business and no amount of medals or money can assuage the mental and physical toll it takes on the combatants.

Once you join any branch of the service your ass is theirs. They can pretty much do with you as they please and you have to salute and say, "Yes sir!" do what you are told or go to jail.

Ours is a volunteer force and if you don't understand these conditions when you join then you are a fool and deserve what you get.

The majority of the service men and women I worked with understood all these points, didn't like them but understood them. They also preferred a commander-in-chief who was a leader in the military sense of the word. If I was still active duty I would much rather have McCain as my boss than Obama. I know where he's been and what he's done, Obama, not so much. And before I hear a "Why don't you send your son over to Iraq", my daughter in in the Air Force and my nephew is in the Army. His rotation starts in September.

Lawgiver, my nephew has been to Iraq three times, safely returning all three times (I think he's done now). He's a DoD person, but no branch of the military AFAIK, although his "equivalent rank" is AF Captain. No idea what he does, he can't tell me. Anyway, I hope your nephew's tour is as smooth as my nephew's was.

Wow, the latest Gustav forecast is bad news for McCain and the Republicans (and New Orleans). But the good news is that hurricane forecasts 5 days out aren't very good. But if the forecast verifies...Yikes!

The best commentary on the Dem thought-control apparatus, more predictable than a Kabuki play, is:I have a Cuban refugee friend who escaped Castro in the early 60s. He told me a few months ago that Obama reminded him of Castro, and was acting the way that Castro did back then. I told my friend that America is not Cuba. But now I am beginning to wonder. Obama's netwing supporters appear to be behaving like internet brownshirts. I expect we'll be having denial of service attacks on pro-McCain websites soon, if they haven't started already. Someone asked earlier in the thread, " "Wouldn't the whole Ayers story need to be 'false' before it's a smear?" The answer to that is no. Negative information about Obama is a smear even if true. That's what the Democratic party has come to since it went off the tracks in the 2000 election. And that is a totalitarian mindset.[punditius]

Dave in Boca, you know what an anti-Castrite I am (well, if you didn't, you do now. My blog is rife with my distaste for his regime, and elegies to Cuban-Americans).

Although I do believe in vigilance, I also think Obama isn't worthy of being compared to a young Castro. The dynamics are completely different, the mindset for control is not there.

Because see this where conspiracy theories or doomsday predictions fail -- they do not take into account the millions of actors that would have to surrender, and a system which would have to buckle, to make it so.

Name-dropping what you 'eat and drink', says you're one of those 'darling little spoiled preppies' who probably hasn't had to work a hard day in your life; hasn't had to be hungry, and who has absolutely NO CLUE what 'real life' is like.

I hope you picked a good white wine; but since you didn't say anything but 'white', it could easily be that $1.99 'stuff' now couldn't it.

Is your pasta 'tender and moist'....

Are the greens fresh? Does it have a hint of garlic? Did they throw some croutons in 'for free'?

Did you pick it up at a deli' section in the near-by Albertson's grocery store???

You sicken me............

Don't be silly, we don't have Albertson's in Madison. And where do you get un-fresh arugula? In any case, the wine was red. I was eating my zucchini non-pasta with Bolognese sauce (homemade), so of course, I had red wine. And why would I be eating croutons if I was going to all the trouble to substitute zucchini for real pasta. You're not making any sense. But if you want to work yourself up into sickness with your own delusions, that's funny.

ZeroVoice said..."AA - I'm wondering - what images of the military *do* you want to see? I'll give you enough credit to assume that something other than ticker-tape victory parades and Mission Accomplished carrier landings are OK, but what specifically is acceptable to you?"

I want to see respect for people who are dedicated to a mission they understand and are committed to and who are proud of their brave and hard work.

AA - Thank you for responding. It seems to me that raising public awareness of the costs of war is a legitimate way of building opposition to the war. Presumably that is part of the reason that the Pentagon has gone to such lengths to minimize dissemination of images of flag-draped coffins.

Do you object categorically to efforts to emphasize the human cost of war on the ground that they disrespect military servicemembers? Do you see a way of respectfully emphasizing the human costs of war?

"Do you object categorically to efforts to emphasize the human cost of war on the ground that they disrespect military servicemembers?"

Not categorically, but I try to see what the political agenda is, and I am disgusted when I think a political party is trying to gain power by showing the military in a negative light. I would like an accurate picture or an excess of respect.

Given your concern with manipulation of military symbols/imagery for political gain, I'll be exremely interested in your comments on this subject during the Republican convention, but let's leave that party aside for now.

I assume you agree that the Iraq war's wisdom and prosecution is a legitimate subject for discussion in the election, and therefore by political parties. It's hard for me to imagine an effort to criticize the Iraq war, its prosecution, or its prospects that is not susceptible to the interpretation that it portrays the military in a "negative light." After all, "the military" is the entity conducting the thing being criticized. It doesn't seem to me that the Democrats can criticize the Iraq war at all without "disgust[ing]" you.